Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sanford, NC Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sanford, NC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,558 in Sanford, NC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,717 in Sanford, NC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,875 in Sanford, NC.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 45% less than in Sanford, NC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Sanford, NC 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$16.11 $16.11

-78.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$49.09 $49.09

-34.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$9.94 $9.94

-51.31%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$2.31 $2.31

19.05%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$1.78 $1.78

-22.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$1.87 $1.87

-59.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$3.73 $3.73

-19.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$7.88 $7.88

-51.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.03 $1.03

68.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$3.37 $3.37

-27.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$4.33 $4.33

-72.98%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$4.65 $4.65

-47.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$17.06 $17.06

-15.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$16.74 $16.74

-74.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$16.91 $16.91

-29.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$5.57 $5.57

-33.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.28 $1.28

27.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$6.58 $6.58

-58.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$4.04 $4.04

-44.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$3.83 $3.83

-49.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$2.73 $2.73

-16.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.57 $1.57

-32.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$1.93 $1.93

-62.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$7.50 $7.50

-56.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$15.38 $15.38

50.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.17 $2.17

28.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$3.32 $3.32

-17.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$1.95 $1.95

-86.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$2.97 $2.97

-83.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$1.87 $1.87

-77.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$29.47 $29.47

-78.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.83 $0.83

-2.41%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$34.4K $34.4K

-22.65%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$24.7K $24.7K

30.11%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$141 $141

-44.45%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$45.69 $45.69

-91.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$73.1 $73.1

-66.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$42.89 $42.89

129.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$13.91 $13.91

-71.32%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$305 Rp 5.5M

$1,312 $1,312

-76.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$24.2K $24.2K

-72.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$49.74 $49.74

8.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$36.56 $36.56

3.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$105 $105

-17.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$154 $154

-50.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$1,632 $1,632

-39.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$1,342 $1,342

-49.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$2,593 $2,593

30.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$2,241 $2,241

-8.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$1,960 $1,960

43.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$1,916 $1,916

16.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$3,453 $3,453

-95.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.51

103.99%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Sanford, NC: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $1,632 in Sanford, NC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sanford, NC pays 1968% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $49.00 in Sanford, NC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $442 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ubud, Bali vs Sanford, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 82% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1968% lower in Sanford, NC. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,632 in Sanford, NC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,312 in Sanford, NC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $49.00 in Sanford, NC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,558 in Sanford, NC, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Sanford, NC. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ubud, Bali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Sanford, NC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Sanford, NC are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 82% less than in Sanford, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.